


Ianto Jones and Torchwood's Number One Enemy

by elisi



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Character Study, Introspection, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-26
Updated: 2009-11-26
Packaged: 2017-10-03 18:46:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elisi/pseuds/elisi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Um, what the title says? Sort of a character study I guess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ianto Jones and Torchwood's Number One Enemy

_Queen Victoria: I propose an institute to investigate these strange happenings and to fight them. I would call it 'Torchwood'. The Torchwood Institute. And if this *Doctor* should return, he should beware - because Torchwood will be waiting._  
'Tooth and Claw' DW 2.02

_Ianto: They know more about this place than I do. **Nobody** knows more than I do._  
'Sleeper' TW 2.02

 

Like all new Torchwood recruits, Ianto was given a thorough course in the history of the Institute, its Charter and foundation; with special focus on the creature who had caused it to be created - the main enemy of the Crown: The Doctor.

He swiftly learned to fit in, and discovered that the standard work practice of keeping work and private life completely separate suited him exceptionally well. It made perfect sense that dealing with such dangerous, dark and incredible things on a daily basis, the Institute did its utmost to foster a bright, pleasant and professional atmosphere. Not to mention that everyone had at least _some_ psychic ability - without learning to hide strong emotions the place would collapse.

The work itself was often on the morally grey side and occasionally shockingly ruthless, but despite being only a Junior Researcher, stuck with mundane tasks, he could easily see its value.

And being entrusted with such extraordinary secrets brought a thrill that didn't wear off. He never felt the slightest inclination to share anything (and not just because he knew he'd get fired and have his memory wiped) - _knowing_ was enough.

*

When he started dating Lisa, they sometimes discussed what they would do if they ever met the elusive Doctor - what would he be like? Would they even know that it was him? Apparently he could alter his appearance, which just added to the conundrum. Was he a shape changer? They considered hacking into UNIT's files to find old reports that they'd heard mentioned in secret whispers, but valued their jobs too much to try. Still - despite working with alien artefacts on a daily basis Ianto found the mysterious Timelord especially fascinating. It was like discovering that Santa Claus was real.

*

The day Torchwood finally caught the Doctor, the entire Tower was abuzz with excitement. The news spread like wildfire, and although everyone took great care to pretend to work, Ianto felt sure that most of his colleagues were following the Doctor and his Companion around via the internal CCTVs, just like Lisa and himself.

Being stationed in different offices they avidly PM'd each other, Lisa deciding that she thought the Doctor was 'cute' and wondering if he might be looking for a new assistant - the current one was looking a little... _old_.

Ianto smiled and shook his head, but wrote back that the coat _did_ look good, he'd give her that.

Soon, however, the Doctor was the least of Ianto's worries as his whole world fell apart in fear and terror and death. But later he recalled his early teaching and the unequivocal statements that the Doctor always brought chaos with him.

He knew that the Cybermen probably had nothing to do with the alien - that the Doctor had in all likelihood saved the day, just like in 1879 - and yet, looking at the body count, he felt that Torchwood had been right in condemning him. Why had they wanted to catch him? It had proved their downfall.

*

As Ianto familiarised himself with Torchwood Cardiff (trying not to despair at how much work he'd have to do to bring T3 up to even just the most _basic_ standard that had been drilled into him) he came across the Charter. Frowning he took it to Jack and asked him why the Doctor was not mentioned as an enemy. Jack somewhat sharply reminded him that he'd severed all links with Torchwood London - including their narrow-minded outlook - and even without his psychic training Ianto would have been able to sense the _'Back off **now**'_ vibes. As it was, Jack's hostility almost felt like a punch.

When Jack walked off Ianto eyed the severed hand, remembered what he'd been taught, and silently wondered. He'd helped out in the London-wide search for the Doctor's hand after the Sycorax invasion on Christmas Day, and recalled the triumph - and extra bonus to all employees - when it was found. Why did Jack keep it on display? What did he know about the Doctor?

Covertly asking his new co-workers about their recruitment, it was obvious that they'd been told nothing about the initial foundation of the organisation; and, knowing that he had to try to keep on Jack's good side, Ianto never mentioned the story of Queen Victoria, the Doctor and the alien werewolf. Which was a shame, because the title alone was priceless.

*

What seemed like lifetimes later Jack died - and then vanished. Ianto was the only one who worked out where he had gone, and he never told the others.

The thought first occurred to him when he noticed that the Doctor's hand had gone too. Silently he slipped away and studied CCTV footage, quickly finding the right moment, because there it was - the blue box, fading into existence. He watched Jack run; jump; and then cling on as the box - which was really a spaceship, although _how_ Ianto couldn't work out - vanished again.

For the longest time he sat silently in front of the monitor, trying to make his mind up. But something - loyalty perhaps, or the ingrained habit of keeping secrets, or maybe Jack's kiss that still lingered on his lips - made him delete the footage. And that evening he made sure to swing by the Council's offices, editing the master tape too. He was good at his job, and took pride in it.

But the next day he amended the Torchwood Cardiff Charter so the wording was the same as it had been in the original. Not that anyone beside himself was likely to ever look at it, but he needed to lash out somehow...

The Doctor brought chaos, and the Doctor destroyed people's lives - of that there was no doubt. Every time he'd turned up Ianto had lost someone he loved.

*

In the weeks that followed Jack's disappearance Ianto almost buried himself in the archives. Gwen became concerned, trying to pry him out, but when he tried to explain that he needed to do _something_ with his time, she went very quiet and let him be.

What he didn't tell anyone was that he was going through Jack's files - everything he could find. He didn't have clearance of course, but who was going to stop him?

Jack had been the one to give him meaning, had been the thing he clung onto... _'Jack needs me'_ he'd told Owen, and Owen hadn't believed him. And then Jack had abandoned him, proving Owen right. Ianto needed to find out _why_, and surely somewhere there'd be a clue. What _was_ Jack's connection to the Doctor?

He made sure to cross-reference with the other personnel files, wondering if former employees had left any clues, but found this exceedingly depressing - the number of people killed in action was staggering, and few survived beyond the age of 30. There was also a small, but still significant number, who'd been marked with 'Death by Torchwood'.

Musing on his findings, Ianto began to think that maybe Jack had just wanted to get the hell away from the place? Losing everyone, time and time and time again, had to have taken its toll. He'd had no idea that Jack was so old...

Then finally he found what he was searching for, after looking through more than a century's worth of files: The papers bearing Torchwood's initial information on his Captain - and Ianto discovered that Jack knew far more about the Doctor than he'd dared imagine.

What small remnants of hope he had been trying to keep alive dissolved and faded away into nothingness as he took in the implication of the words on the yellowed paper.

_'The Doctor, he'll be able to fix me.' _

'When the Doctor turns up it'll all be put right.'

'You wait till I see the Doctor - first I'm going to kiss him, then I'm going to kill him.'

'He is not a threat - the Doctor is the one who'll **save** you.'

And most devastating of all:

_'He left me behind. I came here to find him. He refuels from that Rift you have. Hoping that if I stayed here long enough we'd find each other.'_

Jack had been a Companion. Ianto had considered the possibility, only it had seemed too far-fetched. But now it was fact, and suddenly everything made sense: The snippets of his former life that Jack had forever tantalisingly hinted at, from different worlds and different times; his sense of adventure; his disregard of human conventions... it all added up.

And compared to that - compared to a creature as fantastical and incredible as the Doctor - what chance did a glorified teaboy stand? What chance did any of them stand?

Even as he tried to resign himself to the loss, Ianto could appreciate the irony - it would appear that he hadn't been the only one joining Torchwood Cardiff with ulterior motives. The deception rankled, and yet Ianto knew that he was the last person who should feel that way. The betrayal and abandonment went all ways.

For a long time he didn't move, working out what to do now. Should he share what he'd found? Then slowly he filed the papers away, determined to keep this secret also. He wasn't proud of it, but it meant that he had a piece of Jack no one else did. They'd all lost him, but Ianto had lost more than the rest - had lost not only his Captain, but also his lover, the constant in his life...

No more weevil hunts, just the two of them; no more morning coffee that always earned him a smile; no more dangerous missions with Jack always to the ready with a quip; no more fooling around in the Hub after everyone else had gone home; not even the problem of working out exactly what their non-relationship was - he'd been through this agony already, just a few weeks ago. Why did he have to lose everyone twice?

But somewhere underneath the pain he could feel the old anger and hatred rearing its head, sharp and familiar. Maybe this was a better way of losing Jack? After Abbadon there had only been guilt and grief, because it had all been their fault... but this was far more complicated. And whilst it didn't absolve Ianto, it didn't absolve Jack either.

He clung onto the dusty cabinet in front of him, almost laughing out loud as he realised his feelings mirrored Jack's exactly - 'Kiss him, then kill him' indeed.

Except neither would do any good...

Taking a shaky breath he wondered what to do, now he'd lost his world again - and then heard Jack's voice, drifting back to him from another time, another loss.

_'There's always something left to lose.'_

So carefully Ianto straightened his tie and returned to the Hub, bringing Gwen a cup of tea and the files she needed.

"Thank you Ianto," she smiled, and he smiled back.

"Just doing my job."

She took a closer look at him, tilting her head. "You OK?"

"Getting there."

She nodded, relieved, and then Owen appeared, complaining that there was nothing to eat. Ianto sighed, asked Tosh and Gwen what they would like, and went to order some food...

He still had Torchwood, still had work to do, still had friends. It was more - far, far more - than he'd had after London. (And despite telling himself that he held no hope any more - that hope was his gift to the others - he always carried the stopwatch with him. He tried not to dwell on why that was.)

*

_'I came back for **you**. (All of you)'_, Jack said, and Ianto didn't know what to think.

More than one hundred years' worth of waiting, and after a few months Jack had walked away? For him (them)? It seemed too good to be true, and Ianto was wary of miracles.

Then 'Captain John Hart' crashed into their lives, speaking of Time Agents and partnerships, and showed Ianto more clearly than ever that he had no idea who Jack was - that he'd only uncovered a tiny snippet of his past.

*

It still left the question of what did Jack want from him? Apparently it was something that he thought Ianto could give him, but the Doctor or John couldn't... and of all the night's events, that was the most terrifying. What the hell was Ianto supposed to do? Where did they go from here?

Did this dating thing mean that Jack was his 'boyfriend'? Somehow the word freaked him out, and for once Ianto was absurdly grateful that his parents were dead and that he had no life outside Torchwood. Not that he didn't appreciate Jack trying to follow normal conventions, but Jack was... _Jack_. And nothing about him fitted with normal conventions. Although judging by Jack's nervousness, the whole thing freaked Jack out too - and seeing Jack uncertain was not something Ianto was used to.

What had happened to Jack while he was away? Ianto wanted to shake him, somehow _force_ him to talk about the Doctor - what had he done, what had he said... And what exactly did it mean to be a Companion? It was obvious why Jack wanted to distance himself from Captain John, but why did he not talk about the Doctor? Was it a good thing or a bad thing?

And after meeting John, Ianto couldn't help but wonder if all of Jack's exes brought chaos with them. Hopefully no more would show up... This was of course presuming that the Doctor _was_ an ex, in the common understanding of the word, and they'd not had some weird alien undefinable *thing*...

_What had happened between him and Jack?_

Whatever it was, somehow Ianto (Torchwood) had ended up the winner. Although what to do with the prize was something that'd take a long while to figure out - as would the prize itself. But if there was something Ianto was good at, it was being patient. And he'd make sure that Jack didn't regret his choice...

*

When they could finally go back to the Hub, Ianto (feeling magnanimous) took the Doctor's name off the list of Torchwood's enemies - but he made sure to add Captain John Hart.

This time it was personal.


End file.
